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As Tuesday dawned inhabitants of the world's most polluted city encountered breathing extremely polluted air that fell into the "critical" level.

Record-Breaking Air Quality Readings

Various sections of the city registered an air quality index over 500, which equals ten times the recommended limit established by the WHO.

Particular areas, readings of dangerous airborne particles reached peaks of 1800, representing 15-20x higher than acceptable standards.

Firecracker Ban and New Changes

Beginning in 2020, authorities had implemented a comprehensive restriction on the sale and use of fireworks during the Festival of Lights due to their major role to the hazardous pollution that engulfs the city as colder weather begins.

Yet earlier this year, the current regional leadership approached the judicial authority to request a relaxation of the restrictions.

They proposed allowing "green crackers" – previously criticized by environmentalists as being only approximately one-third reduced emissions – as a middle ground between "heritage and ecological concerns".

Legal Decision and Implementation

Much to the frustration of public health and environmental campaigners, the court complied with the appeal, mandating that green firecrackers could be ignited during limited hours throughout the Diwali.

On Monday night, there was extensive flouting of the time restrictions across the capital, with minimal regulation regarding whether the firecrackers being used were actually the eco-friendly type.

Numerous recording stations throughout the city showed contamination spiking around midnight to extremely hazardous readings seen during the festival in at least recent memory.

Cross-Border Implications

The widespread use of firecrackers during Diwali also triggered a controversy with bordering the neighboring country, with officials in Pakistani Punjab partly blaming deteriorating atmospheric conditions in the city of Lahore on pollutants coming from across the border following the festivities.

Chronic Pollution Crisis

Extremely elevated levels of air contamination in the city have continued as a serious problem for more than 15 years, with the condition showing no improvement.

Near Diwali, the concentration of toxic particles in the atmosphere has been observed to shoot up to significantly exceeding the worst readings ever documented in China's capital, which was previously viewed as the world's most polluted metropolis.

Diverse Pollution Contributors

The problem in the city is caused by a mix of various sources including automobile exhaust, airborne particles, construction activities, waste incineration and pollutants from agricultural fires in adjacent areas of neighboring agricultural zones.

Within these states, agricultural workers illegally ignite agricultural waste to clear them quickly, creating hazardous haze that becomes contained over the city as colder air sets in.

Medical and Economic Consequences

Both financial and medical impact on the nearly 33 million people living in the capital region is significant, according to multiple research.

The contaminated air causes elevated rates of nervous system, heart and circulatory and respiratory conditions, and can potentially cause malignancies.

The pollution is projected to be causing approximately 10k early mortalities each year in the capital.